This invention relates to pneumatic tires, more particularly to the tread portion of a pneumatic tire.
It is well-known in the tire industry that the choice of a particular tread design involves trade-off between specific tire performance characteristics in order to achieve the overall desired tire performance. For example, a tread design which has good wet traction or snow traction generally has poor dry traction, handling, and/or noise levels; a tire which generally has good dry traction, handling and tread wear characteristics generally has poor wet and snow traction. Conflicting tire characteristics such as these make it difficult to produce a tread pattern suitable for the various road conditions experienced during the entire year.
Applicants have discovered a particular tread arrangement suitable for use in all seasons which provides for good wet and snow traction while still maintaining good dry traction, tread wear, noise levels and handling.